The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1887-02-26
TERMS or sunscnJfr1ox
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 40, 1887,
UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPHs

The Berlin correspondent Of the
London Times was lately requested by
the Ministry OF Posts and Telcgraphs
10 correct a statement sent to that
journal regarding underground tele-
graphs in Germany. BY the Ministry's
communication it appears that the pro-
blem Of putting the wires underground
has been to very great extent salts
slctorily solved in Germany, while la
terested parties in America have until
recently STAYED it off under the plea
that the proposal WIS inpracticable.
They are now, however, IN New York,
under stress of municipal ordinance,
accepting the inevitable necessity Of
burying the wires, late illustrated papers
containing clear sketches Of the opera
ton. The communication om the
German depa Imeht referred to con-
tains information so interesting and inn
portant that it is worth giving here in
fdll:--
"Your recent telegram to TIE Tines
on underground telegraphs may have
been liable to misconstruction on two
points, namely:
~ You said that the great bulk Of
correspondence in Germany is still for
warded over pole-supporied wire. This
assertion might lead to the idea that
the subteuanean cables are but make
shhs, and only intended to serve as a
kind Of reserve in case the overhead
lines fail But nothing would be more
erroneous; for by the trunk lines OF The
underground cables connecting our
principal places and chief commercial
cities OF the Empire there is forwarded
the whole traffic of those places, which
amounts nearly to one-half of the
whole telegraphic traffic Of Germany,
and includes considerably more inn
portant correspondence than is gener
ally exchanged between places Of lesser
note.
"(2) II seems that in the Telegram
alluded to too much stress was laic
on the military necessities of the EN-
pire, which are said to have caused
probably as much as anything, the
construction Of a telegraph cable net.
From a memorandum laid before tn.
German Diet in 1876 it apr ears tina
the Postmaster Genera', Her Vol
Stephan, Immediately Q .er being ask
ed to assume the duties OF chief tele
graph officer Of the empire, carried on
his well-considered plan of under
ground telegraphy with the sole objec
Of putting the ordinary and eye.y da,
interests Of the nation beyond tn
chances of bad weather. A..er thu
realization of this idea the under
ground cables were speedily recognized
to be an excellent means of keeping
up Geographic intercourse in case @
war from the very extended frontiers G
the east to the passes Of the Vosges
and only then were they made sub
seryient to our military necessities"
The feasibility Of underground tele
graphs having thus been demonstrate
by the Empire of Germany, we ma
hope to see the day when insight
and cumbersome poles, with their ir
commoding meshes Of electric wires
will be obliterated from all cities. B,
sides the benefits of underground tel,
graphs, in respect to their own securit
against vicissitudes Of the weather,
great nuisance in the shape of obstI IL
tons to traffic and to the operations {
firemen would be removed by the
adoption. With the prospect Of ele,
lric lighting, and cable communicate
with the continents and other islands
involving stretches Of land wire
through the city--in addition to tn
very profuse and increasing network {
telephone wires in existence
problem is live one for Honolulu.